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89-year-old WW II veteran still on duty

GLENWOOD, Iowa -

It has been six decades since Myron Roker served in the 324th Infantry Regiment Association on the European front, but every year he puts on his uniform and packs his war memorabilia for a different mission.

"This is the 11th year I have had Mr. Roker come and speak to my students, and they really enjoy it. They enjoy hearing his history and all of his memories," said teacher Diane Goose.

Roker's stories bring learning to life for the fifth-graders at West Elementary in Glenwood.

"Part of history would be lost if we didn't talk about it," said Roker.

Goose believes hearing the experience of a real-life soldier is more beneficial than teaching history from a textbook. Roker's stories are a reminder of the impacts of war.

In one of his stories, Roker shares his memories of Dec. 29, 1944, when he and his comrade, Mike, were sharing a cup of coffee when Mike had to go check on some land mines.

"About five minutes later, I heard a big explosion and it was what I feared. It took Mike's chest and his face off," said Roker.

Those stories weren’t easy to tell, but Roker said they are worth sharing so children know that freedom has its cost.

He has more than pictures to share with students. Roker came home with shrapnel in his leg, a Purple Heart and memories of 204 days in combat.

Even so, Roker said he wasn’t a hero. In fact, he tells this story under one condition: he wouldn't be portrayed as one.

"The heroes are the 500 men we lost, not only from our regimen, but all branches of service and also the one that are maimed, that lost limbs. Those are the ones that are heroes," said Roker.

But in the eyes of the fifth-graders, Roker is a hero.

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